Blackburn, Ellmers applaud CMS decision on electronic health record reporting requirements

U.S. Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Renee Ellmers (R-NC) applauded an announcement on Monday that a 90-day electronic health record (EHR) reporting period for medical providers would be reinstated.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) announced that it would reinstate the 90-day EHR reporting period under its Meaningful Use (MU) program, which penalizes medical providers for not meeting EHR reporting requirements.

“I am pleased to see the CMS propose a reduction in the reporting requirements for the MU program to 90 days, which has remained a top priority of mine,” Ellmers said. “Most recently, my colleagues and I addressed this issue with the MU program through our recent introduction of the Flexibility in EHR Reporting Act.”

The 90-day reporting period would provide more flexibility to hospitals and doctors that are struggling to provide adequate medical care because of a burdensome regulatory environment, Ellmers said.

“This administration has constantly failed to offer patients, and the provider community, with the resources necessary in order to provide quality care,” Blackburn said. “Providers and physicians in my district continue to tell me that CMS’ Meaningful Use criteria is simply that – meaningless. This legislation will allow flexibility with a 90-day reporting period and will give providers the opportunity to avoid harmful, bureaucratic penalties that drive up the costs of healthcare for all.”

By adjusting the timeline, providers would be able to choose any three-month period in 2016 to qualify for MU. The move is expected to help hundreds of thousands of providers meet EHR reporting requirements.